


Excerpt from Chapter 36: Truth Be Told (Part I); Growing Up Gifted

by JKRobertson



Category: Bleach
Genre: Frustration, Gen, Growing Up Gifted, Loss of Powers, Quest, Soul-Searching, excerpt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22481785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JKRobertson/pseuds/JKRobertson
Summary: This excerpt portrays the start of Ichigo's quest to regain his zanpakuto and Shinigami powers after loosing them after defeating Aizen in fake Karakura town.  The story, Growing Up Gifted, starts several months after he initially looses his powers and goes a different direction, ultimately creating a universe where the Fullbring arc never happens.At this point in the story, Ichigo is starting to regain his spiritual pressure, thanks to spending a lot of time with Orihime, who has been feeding him her reiatsu with her healing technique.  He's been able to hear Zangetsu (hollow Ichigo) for a while, and this time he's ready to face off with him to regain his position of King.  It doesn't quite go in the direction he expects.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 10





	Excerpt from Chapter 36: Truth Be Told (Part I); Growing Up Gifted

Ichigo sat cross-legged on the sandy floor of Urahara’s bunker and closed his eyes, placing his relaxed palms on top of his knees. Despite his earlier preparations and peaceful façade, he was terrified about what would greet him when he entered his inner world. He took a deep, steadying breath, and watched behind closed eyelids as the darkness deepened. He listened as the sound of something not-quite-water filled his ears. When it was complete, he reopened his eyes and found himself seated in his underwater inner world, face to face with Zangetsu, previously known to him as his hollow.

"Wassup, Buttercup?" the spectre drawled at him, leaning heavily on Ichigo's zanpakuto.

"I'm ready. Shall we?" Ichigo asked as he got to his feet, anxious about getting started.

"Shall we what? Dance around and tell each other bedtime stories?" Zangetsu snarked.

Ichigo winced a bit. "No, I mean let's not waste more time. What do I have to do to get  _ that _ back?" he asked, pointing at his zanpakuto.

"Ah, so you do have a goal in mind. Not quite the one I'd hoped for, but it'll do for now," Zangetsu said before he stood and waved his free hand. Suddenly Ichigo's inner world began to transform. The water drained from the sky and the sideways buildings crumbled away to reveal the white desert sand of Hueco Mundo, its crescent moon hanging stationary in the starless sky. "Your quest begins here. All you have to do is answer my questions honestly." 

Zangetsu paused as what appeared to be a million zanpakutos raining down from the pitch black heavens, each impaling the sand below with a clang. Ichigo cowered and covered his ears, the deafening sound feeling like it would tear through his skull. His ears reverberated a moment later as he observed the moonlight glint off the multitude of swords before him. Zangetsu waited for the ringing to subside before adding, "The more truth you reveal to me, the more truth will be revealed to you. We'll start with an easy one. What's your name?"

Ichigo furrowed his brows in frustration. "Really? We're going to play games at a time like this?" He was silenced when he heard a whirling from behind him, and ducked just in time to avoid having his head severed from his neck. A sword from somewhere behind him seemed to have been offended by Ichigo not taking this activity seriously.

"This is not a  _ game _ , partner. Each of these represents a zanpakuto who has become lost to its master. They take this activity very seriously. Now, what is your name?" Zangetsu ground out, his usual mania bridled by a harness of focused intensity.

"My name is Ichigo Kurosaki."

In response, a path of swords several yards deep evaporated before him, creating a path wide enough for Ichigo to walk through easily.

"Very good! That wasn't so hard, was it? Now we just continue this way until we get to the truth. Only then do you get your zanpakuto back," Zangetsu advised.

Ichigo blew a breath out his nostrils, ready to get on with it. "Alright, Zangetsu. Next question!"

"What is your favorite color?"

Ichigo couldn't help it. He glanced sideways at Zangetsu and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. This time he barely jumped backward in time to avoid being castrated by a sword that sprung up from underfoot.

"Ah, um, blue?" Ichigo pleaded internally that he was correct, as he stood poised for another attack that didn't come. However, no further path opened to him.

"Seems like that's only a partial answer, partner. Better be more specific," Zangetsu scolded.

"Uh, midnight blue," Ichigo offered. A moment later, another path, this time leading slightly to the right, revealed itself.

"Well done, partner! Let's keep going!" came Zangetsu’s patronizing response.

They continued this way, Zangetsu asking a string of inane questions, including, What do you like to eat on a rainy Tuesday?" (curry) and "Which English word is the hardest for you to pronounce?" (squirrel). As the day wore on, and Ichigo began to lose patience, there were more and more close calls with zanpakutos that did not take kindly to his lack of sincerity.

Zangetsu finally told Ichigo that he was done for the day, after a close brush with death that had come from his inability to admit which sister he loved more; finally confessing that it was Yuzu by a hairswidth.

"We start again tomorrow, and bear in mind that this will be quicker if you stop lying to yourself," Zangetsu said, his voice fading out as Ichigo was sucked back into consciousness.

"So, how was it?" Urahara asked, looking up to Ichigo from his paperwork. He had brought a portable desk down to the bunker after Ichigo's training started becoming more of a babysitting gig.

"Trippy," Ichigo answered as he rubbed his temples, more confused than ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Full work can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11781039/chapters/26564493


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